Stars are Thicker Than Water:Of Regulus and Sirius
by Evans17
Summary: When Regulus Black drank the potion in the cave, rather than abandon him, Kreacher went to Sirius for help. Now, with no proof that his brother is no longer a Death Eater, Sirius must nurse him back to health.
1. Chapter 1: The Cave

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to J. K. Rowling. Any text from her books is italicized. **

Stars are Thicker than Water: of Regulus and Sirius

Chapter 1

Sirius Black stood staring down at his brother, crumpled and moaning on the dark rocks. "Regulus?" he whispered, disbelief coloring his voice. "Reg?" His brother writhed on the rocks. "No..." he moaned roughly. "No... SIRIUS!" he screamed suddenly, but it was clear he was not responding to Sirius' actual presence, rather, to something in his mind. The house-elf (what was his name? Ah yes, Kreacher, little piece of vermin that he was,) had been most insistent that he come here, and with good reason, he now saw. His brother was dying here, before his eyes, and however much he hated what he had become, it was still his brother-his brother, whom he had taught to ride a broomstick, who he had held when their parents had forbidden him from seeing his best friend-she had been a muggle. His brother, who had wept when Sirius first left for Hogwarts. With this, he turned to the house-elf. "Err... Kreacher?" The thing bowed. "Yes Master?"

Mentally biting his tongue to prevent from yelling at the thing, he spoke to it again. "You can apparate in and out of here, correct?" The creature nodded. "And you can bring humans?" Again, a nod. "One at a time?" It nodded once more, and Sirius sighed. "Ok, then. I need you to apparate with my brother to my house. Not the house of Black, you understand? My house. Do you know where that is?"

"Yes, Master Black."

"Ok. Bring him there. Give him water and make sure he's safe before coming back for me, understand?"

"Yes, master." With a look of mixed loathing and thanks, Kreacher grabbed the arm of the writhing Regulus, and disapparated with a loud crack. After a few minutes, he returned to where Sirius was. Sirius was examining the ground where his brother had fallen. He had dropped a locket-the near twin of the one in the basin. Well, if Regulus had gone to these lengths to get it, it must be important. He placed it carefully in the inside pocket of his robes, then grabbed Kreacher's hand. "Let's go."

**Author's Note: **So, what do you think? Love it? Hate it? No strong feelings about it? Whatever the case may be, please review, as I am not sure I should continue this... If you want me to, let me know!


	2. Chapter 2: Tom's Barriers

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognize belongs to J. K. Rowling. Any text from her books is italicized. **

Stars are Thicker than Water: of Regulus and Sirius

Chapter 2

Regulus Black awoke suddenly, and looked around curiously at the red and gold banners covering the walls. He was in a bed... How had this happened? The last thing he remembered was ordering Kreacher to force-feed him that horrific potion... He shuddered at the thought. How in the world had he survived? And (-and this was the most worrying thought of all-) where, where was the locket? He sat up, only to fall back to the bed as dizziness and nausea overwhelmed him. Obviously moving was not a good idea at this point. As he lay there, wondering whether he should call out, the door opened and someone walked into the room, carrying a tray. He stared, unbelieving, sure that what he saw was an illusion. "Sirius?" he whispered. The roughness of his voice shocked him, and the fact that he could not speak above a rasping whisper.

"You're awake!" If the pain in his head and throat had not told him otherwise, he would have thought he was dreaming. Sirius, taking care of him? "Where am I?" he whispered. "What happened? Where's Kreacher? Where's the Dark Lord? Where-" he faltered for a moment, "Where's the locket, Sirius?"

"Easy," Sirius said, and he almost wept at the sound of his brother, who had long hated him, speaking to him with genuine caring in his voice. "Listen, Regulus. Dumbledore is going to come in to interrogate you, but first I want to hear it-from you, Reg. What were you thinking? How could you have joined him? After all I told you?"

"Sirius, I-"

"How could you, Regulus?" Sirius whispered, and his eyes were deep pools of hurt.

"Sirius!" Regulus grabbed his brother's hand, which was resting on the edge of the bed. "Sirius, in the cave... I was defying him, Sirius. I was trying to kill him. Please-I can't say anymore, but please, Sirius-do you have it? Do you have the locket?"

Sirius looked angry. "Regulus, don't lie to me. I know you're a Death Eater. I just want to know _why_."

"I'm not lying, Sirius!" Regulus began, but Sirius was already pulling his hand away, striding from the room, his back to his brother so he would not see the tears welling in his eyes. He did not know why he was so upset. He had known Regulus was a Death Eater for many years, after all, but this brought the hurt back somehow, stabbed the knife in deeper. He walked down the stairs slowly, until he reached Dumbledore in the sitting room. "Go on up, Albus," he said. "He wouldn't tell me anything, except that he was 'defying' the Dark Lord... As if I would believe that!" Dumbledore looked at him thoughtfully for a moment, then nodded and walked up the stairs, long robes swirling behind him. When he reached Regulus' room, he paused and knocked on the door. Without waiting for a response, he swept in, and sat down in a chair next to Regulus' bed. Regulus was gingerly sipping hot soup from the bowl Sirius had left, grimacing as the hot liquid touched his sore throat.

"Hello, Regulus," Dumbledore said pleasantly. "How do you feel today?"

Regulus laughed harshly. "Like shit."

"To be expected, I suppose. That potion was not the most soothing of drinks, I gather."

"Always the funny one, weren't you, Dumbledore?"

Ignoring this, Dumbledore stared at Regulus. He could feel Dumbledore attempting to penetrate his mind. "It won't work, Dumbledore." He laughed again, then coughed. "He made sure of that. It won't work on any of us, not those who carry this!" He reached down, ignoring the dizziness, and pulled up his sleeve. The dark mark there was charred and black, the flesh around it inflamed, as if it had been burned there. "Well then," Dumbledore said, unsmiling for once. "Why don't _you_ tell me your story?" So Regulus told him. How the Dark Lord had almost killed Kreacher. How he had, for a long time, been uneasy with the Dark Lord's actions. How this cold cruelty had, more than anything, driven the fact home-the Dark Lord was evil. How, knowing exactly what the locket was, he had attempted to get it, ordering Kreacher to return home with it and destroy it, should he die. How he had ordered Kreacher to make him keep drinking. "And that," Regulus finished, "Is the last thing I remember."

Dumbledore steepled his fingers and peered at Regulus over his half-moon spectacles. "Regulus," he said. I believe you are telling the truth. But others will not. Is there any way you can let me inside your head? Can you take down Voldemort's-" Regulus flinched at the name, "defenses and let me pass?"

"No. Merlin knows, I've tried. I knew it would come to this someday. But no. I can't do it."

"Very well. For now, you will be under surveillance and guard in the house. And do not worry about the horcrux, Regulus. Yes, I know what it is, and I have destroyed it. Do not fear. I shall also exercise my considerable talents in an attempt to find the others. Meanwhile, rest and recover. Perhaps we will soon be able to bypass these barriers. I will try to think of a way to do so." He rose and left the room. Walking back down to the sitting room, he sat down across from Sirius.

"Well?" Sirius said, his face tense.

"I do not believe he is lying, Sirius. He spoke the truth about the locket-I examined and destroyed it. And I doubt he would have gotten that close to death in an attempt to get to us. Had you not been there, he _would_ have died, I have no doubt of that. They would not have saved him. No, he is not lying, but unfortunately, I cannot prove it-not even to you. The barriers Tom erected in his mind are formidable, but again, even he has a weakness. You love your brother, do you not?"

Sirius' face looked as that of a much older man as he whispered, "Yes. Even when I know he has chosen the wrong path-still."

"Then I believe you may be the only person who can break down the barriers blocking his mind. Talk to him. Ask him questions. Interact with him, and in time, perhaps the barriers will begin to crumble." He got up. "I must take my leave now, Sirius, but I shall erect wards around your house before I do so. You will be doubly in danger now, what with you being secret-keeper for the Potters, and with Regulus here. I myself will serve as secret-keeper for this house-I trust this is acceptable?" Sirius nodded.

"Of course."

"Very well. Ah yes, before I forget-the Potters will be visiting tomorrow, but only for a short time. I trust you will enjoy the chance to see your godson again?"

"Very much so."

"Good night." So saying, Dumbledore left the room. Sirius waited until he heard the front door close before he went slowly up the stairs. When he entered the room, Regulus was lying perfectly still, eyes closed. But the slight twitching of his left pinky gave him away-Sirius used to always know when he was faking because of this, back when they were little boys. "Regulus, I know you're awake."

Regulus sat up. "So much has changed, Sirius-yet so much has stayed the same."

"I know."

"I never wanted to hurt people, you know. I just... I just wanted to be part of something, well, bigger than I was. I know I made the wrong choice, Sirius. I hope that someday, you can forgive me, for that, and for..."

"And for what?"

"Sirius. If you kill me once you hear this-I will deserve it. I would not blame you. Do you want to know the real reason I turned against him? To atone for what I did, although I know I never can."

Sirius' voice was sharp. "What? What did you do?"

"I killed her. I _killed_ her, Sirius!"

**Author's Note: **Ahhh, a cliffy! Anyway, if you have any suggestions for who this mystery girl is, tell me in a review or message-otherwise, I'll just have to think up an OC... Or a real character, depending on how many times my imagination takes sick leave during this story!


End file.
